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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 11 May 2022, 08:56 • #76 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/10/09
Posts: 1651
Location: US-OH
Last I heard (quite awhile ago) they weren't selling SFG blanks anymore. I think they only sold them for a short time. It might be worth a call or email to check if you can find the right contact person at the Orvis rod shop - which is harder than it used to be.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 11 May 2022, 12:40 • #77 
Guide
Joined: 03/21/22
Posts: 172
Location: US-PA
I have the last version of this rod. No real complaints with the last version. I mostly fish it one smaller streams and when given the chance to get some line it out handles well. I'd like to see it in person and try it out, just not sure I'll purchase this new offering.

TipTop,

I like what you did with the blank. Really nice set up.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 11 May 2022, 14:01 • #78 
Guide
Joined: 07/14/20
Posts: 111
That custom Orvis SFG is awesome. I wish they still sold the blanks (or even continued to produce the 3pc for that matter). I agree that the 7'6" is something special. Thanks for sharing.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 12 May 2022, 06:46 • #79 
Sport
Joined: 02/08/19
Posts: 53
Location: US-OH
I was with tiptop on that Driftless trip. Towards the end of one day of me fishing my Epic 580 Fastglass, I switched rods with him and it was like night and day. Even though the SFG was a 4-wt and mine a 5-wt, it was SO much lighter in hand and easier to cast I was ready to clock him over the head and run off with it. I have way too many rods and really should start selling, but I definitely will be keeping my eyes open for a 7'-6" 4-wt. like his. It's a very sweet stick and understand why it's one of his favorites.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 13 May 2022, 11:59 • #80 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
tiptop - I LOVE your build. Glass is retro - you did a great job calling back to their classic designs.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 13 May 2022, 18:56 • #81 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/21/06
Posts: 3080
Location: Orygun
excellent build!


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 14 May 2022, 11:31 • #82 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
Scooter1942 wrote:
.... but I feel all the SFG's need a heavier line for my casting style. I'm hoping the new one's perform well true to weight.

I read that the new version is slightly faster than the older ones...


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 14 May 2022, 12:45 • #83 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/21/06
Posts: 3080
Location: Orygun
"I read that the new version is slightly faster than the older ones..."

That's my understanding as well after talking to a longtime Orvis employee who's typically in the know...


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 14 May 2022, 17:55 • #84 
Guide
Joined: 04/04/13
Posts: 197
Location: Central Maryland
ibookje wrote:
I read that the new version is slightly faster than the older ones...

That's too bad. If I wanted a rod that cast like graphite, I'd buy a graphite rod.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 21 Jun 2022, 00:09 • #85 
Guide
Joined: 04/04/13
Posts: 197
Location: Central Maryland
I got a chance to cast the new version over the weekend.

I only tried the 7'6" version, since I own and frequently fish that configuration in the older version. My impressions:

The color not horrible. It is lighter and slightly faster than the previous version. Given that, and that it's a four piece, I won't be trading in my old one for the new one. It seemed to be designed for graphite users.

The rep did say that each length/weight configuration was purpose designed, and each felt significantly different from the others. He didn't have the configuration that I was interested in (8' 5wt) so I'll still have wait to decide on that one.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 21 Jun 2022, 22:09 • #86 
New Member
Joined: 12/11/11
Posts: 9
Location: US-NJ
I received the 8wt late last week, haven’t had a chance to fish it yet but I’ve been trying different lines on it. Its very powerful and bends deep with the right line. I have a 350 grain wf9f rio pike musky taper on it now, waiting for the 8wt version of that line to come in the mail.

I like it so much i ordered the 6wt. Shipping first said late July, now says it will ship 6/29. Similar thing happened with the 8, ordered that about 2 weeks ago.

Anyone seen the new 6? Orvis website shows the smaller seat/grip but ive read the 6 has the same as the 8 which i think is too large for the 6 but love it on the big beefy 8.

I have the older 3 piece 6wt and its a 7wt to me. Looking to throw big warmwater flies with these rods and not afraid to upline.

DW


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 22 Jun 2022, 20:02 • #87 
Guide
Joined: 07/19/19
Posts: 176
Interesting and good to know. I was entertaining getting one. Wonder why they decided to make it faster? I thought the original was on the quicker side. I’m sure they’re really nice rods, however I’ll stick with my Barclay 4wt. It’s a blast to use at close range.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 23 Jun 2022, 16:25 • #88 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 08/25/08
Posts: 1526
Location: Delton, MI
It’s a bit baffling to me that Orvis would make those rods faster. They were already underlined with their rated line weight IMO. It is still possible for them to have made them faster but rated them closer to a realistic fishing line weight. I’ll have to cast them when they all come out. I sincerely hope they rated them for fisherman who match lines to rods for typical fishing distances rather than to parking lot casters who try to see how far they can blast a line out. Glass and cane enthusiasts tend to be more discerning and critical about this. Orvis likes to pride themselves on rating their rods realistically. I am curious to see if they really did that. I am also curious to cast them all to see what they mean by purpose built. I would expect that each length/line weight combination have it’s own characteristics specific to the fish and conditions you would choose that rod for.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 25 Jun 2022, 15:25 • #89 
New Member
Joined: 12/11/11
Posts: 9
Location: US-NJ
The 866-4 arrived today. Beautiful build just like the 888-4. They have the same reel seat and fighting butt. The 6wt info for the seat and grip is wrong on the orvis website. Refer to the 8wt for the correct info.

I cast the previous 866-3 and this 866-4 side by side with 6,7, and 8wt lines. (Wulff long belly, Orvis bass, sci-angler pike bass respectively) the 3 piece out performed the 4 piece with the 7 and 8wts, Don’t like the 6 on either rod but its probably as good on the 866-4 as either of the other two, fairly uninspiring.

The 866-4 is softer, and lacks the punch of the center section of the 3 piece. (Yet at times with the heavier lines I found I wasn’t casting it fast enough) It also does not have power down below like the 888-4 does. Neither rod has a particularly soft tip.

I found myself hunting for the right stroke and line combo. I never found it with these lines.. The sweet spot was narrow and elusive. As soon as I picked up the 8wt and flung a short clumsy cast, there it was, that sweet feeling of synergy!

This one is going back. It’s probably best with one of the heavier lines and within 30-45 feet for my preference. -Not exactly! See my update below.

The 4 piece is softer, slower than the 3 but not in a good way for me and what I would use it for - Warmwater bass and light saltwater. They do call it the “warmwater special” and its built as one with full wells and fighting butt.

For reference, I don’t have alot of glass rods. I do have several 100+ year old bamboo rods, some that are super slow and I prefer a relaxed casting stroke.

I have the current Scott fiberglass in 733-5 and 662-4 and find those to be perfect with 406 DT lines at their rated weights.

Update

I was chomping on some pizza thinking about the casting experience I described above.

I couldn't help but feel like I was missing something. I remembered that I have a Wulff Triangle Taper 7wt in the basement so I went and got it, spooled it up and went back outside with the 886-4.

Immediately it was casting better, much better. I was getting smooth accurate loops out to 50-55'. This is the rod I was looking for. I tried the TT7 on the 886-3 and it wasn't bad, but it required more work and wasn't as accurate. Switching the lines back and forth between the two rods revealed that the 4 piece was the smoother easier caster. It still has a narrower sweet spot, and a certain cadence preference that I would describe as medium to medium fast with the TT7.

I went and got my TT6 line, and spooled that up and tried it on both rods. A similar conclusion, it required a faster stroke and more work for less accuracy and was far less consistent than the TT7. It wasn't horrible on either rod though. A surprising difference between the 5 lines in my test casting.

The 886-3 tolerates heavier lines much better and can throw tight loops with the older S/A 8wt Pike line in my test, this actually might be my current favorite combo of the 5 lines with the 886-3, kind of surprising. I still think of both rods as 7 weights.

I won't be sending the 886-4 back, we're go'n Fish'n. If you read this far, hopefully you found all this helpful.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 25 Jun 2022, 17:02 • #90 
Guide
Joined: 04/04/13
Posts: 197
Location: Central Maryland
Yes, helpful. Thanks.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 25 Jun 2022, 18:35 • #91 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/02/16
Posts: 515
Location: Georgia
Very helpful, Dark Waters. Thanks for the detailed review. I’m interested to hear more about the new Superfine 8wt. Do you still think it’s more of an 8/9wt? And did you ever cast the previous generation Superfine 8wt for comparison? If the new version is lighter (in hand or swing weight) than the previous Superfine 888, I may pick one up for redfish and stripers.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 25 Jun 2022, 22:33 • #92 
New Member
Joined: 12/11/11
Posts: 9
Location: US-NJ
El Duderino,

I fished the 8wt with the Rio Pike/Musky WF8F line this evening. I used some really big chunky flies, I noticed that when I fished this line around 30 feet away or more, it was good, the rod was accurate and handled it well. Inside of 30 I had some not so great casts. Either I didn't have enough line out, the big fly was getting wet, or the story the lady told me at the ramp about a guy having his catalytic converter stolen there last week had me distracted. Maybe all 3?

I'm new to these types of lines. Keep in mind the whole head is only 30 ft long and it weighs 300 grains. Appropriate for the big flies I want to use on it, it would have been fine closer with a normal sized deer hair fly.

Hard to say what normal line I would prefer on it, the SA WF8F pike line I've been mentioning feels on the light side to me. It also casts well on a Winston B2X 9' 8wt that I always underlined and never even tried an 8wt on. I always used the Triangle Taper as a reference line on trout rods in the past, guess I just got caught up in the bass bug throwing idea. Should have started there first.

I saw an article where someone took the new 8WT fishing for redfish (can't find it now) and sure seemed to like it.

Found it, just scroll down a little:

https://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot ... r-cfo.html


I've never fished for reds but I've done my fair share of striped bass fishing and I probably have an intermediate 8 or 9 that would work well on it. Here in the northeast I would fish hours and hours blind casting in the dark for stripers. I think this would work very well. Certainly would be easier on me than certain lighting fast torture devices.

Rod Weights

I weighed the 3 rods.

866-3 3.49 ounces
866-4 4.37 ounces
888-4 5.33 ounces

I suspect most of the weight difference is in the new full barrel reel seat which are very nice quality. The skeleton seats on the 3 piece rods weigh very little. The heavier the seat the lighter the reel and vice versa to get you to a happy balance.

I've never seen or handled the 3 piece 8wt. The 888-4 is noticeably more tip heavy than the 4 piece 6wt in hand. I have Lamson Remix reels on each, on the 6wt I have a size 2 (5+) on the 8wt I have a 3.5 (7+) The 6wt feels well balanced, the 8wt could use a little more weight but its close enough for me and these are generally light reels.

I weighed the butt and tip sections. Note the 8wt has significantly larger metal stripping guides.

866-4 Butt section: 2.85 ounces, 3 tip sections: 1.51 ounces
888-4 Butt section: 3.175 ounces, 3 tip sections: 2.15 ounces

I liked fishing the 866-4 best. I did have an appropriate 7wt fly on with the TT7wt line, it was really sweet. Not taking anything away from the 8wt, because I was chucking big stuff with it.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 26 Jun 2022, 07:15 • #93 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
From a 'distance' (although I did once own the 7ft #3 three piece rod briefly), the new Superfine is defiantly a rod thats more suited to graphite fishermen than fiberglass geeks like many of us. The faster action, the finish and the typical 'graphite rod reel seat' rather than a more traditional looking one just 'smells' fast ad modern rather than traditional and classic.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 26 Jun 2022, 11:44 • #94 
Guide
Joined: 09/05/17
Posts: 305
Location: On a Stream
Has anyone cast the new 3 weight?


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 03 Jul 2022, 00:43 • #95 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
Cameron has a link at TFM to Shawn Combs from Orvis talking about the new rods at the Trident booth. Definitely marketed to newer-is-better consumers coming from graphite. Right up front he talks about “faster” S2 glass, applying lessons learned from their graphite technology, etc. He does manage to slip in a statement about how it’s all about “slowing down”. And that’s ok by me. The new cosmetic style isn’t really my cup of tea, but I’m just glad to see Orvis continue their commitment to supporting glass.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 06 Jul 2022, 15:32 • #96 
Guide
Joined: 07/21/17
Posts: 102
Location: TX
If you have a 764, do you mind sharing the weight? Previous model was 2 1/2oz, how much was shaved off?


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 07 Jul 2022, 09:18 • #97 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
With the wood (?) reel seat I doubt the rod will weigh lighter than the previous generation


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 08 Jul 2022, 10:11 • #98 
Master Guide
Joined: 06/07/12
Posts: 865
Location: US-CA
The previous generation was already pretty light. My SFG 8’9” 6wt is significantly lighter then my ********* 8’9” 5wt Western Glass. With a hardwood reelseat, agree it will be a challenge to shave weight anywhere else. Unless they switch to graphite. Oh - wait…


Last edited by motosacto on 15 Jul 2022, 09:47, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 08 Jul 2022, 10:33 • #99 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
In sorting this out, realize that light weight and the dynamic feel of light weight are two different things. As with firearms, and many other handheld items used in motion, some designs feel lighter than they actually are, others heavier, others more neutral or fluid. Weight distribution is probably the most important factor, relative to the grip point (or points) in particular. In fishing rods, this is affected by the blank's materials and taper itself (again, assuming designs that adeptly handle the same line weight range), by the ferrule positions and type (they are always a change-in-weight point, even if not a significant change-in-flex point). Same for other fittings such as guides and reel seat, both its physical weight and it orientation up or downlock. Now figure in the reel, including its diameter, which affects the felt weight in rotational force around the axis of the rod. Any of these minor effects individually can, cumaltively, result in a rod that feels lighter than its actual weight, or the other way around. And either, or something in between can be desirable. The feel of this "weight" can stabilze a hand held item for a user or make it ponderous, or it can make it feel twitchy and hard to control, or, at its best, make it feel responsive and nimble.


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Re: Superfine Glass
Post 08 Jul 2022, 19:07 • #100 
New Member
Joined: 12/11/11
Posts: 9
Location: US-NJ
I’m really enjoying the 686-4, its becoming a favorite. Its a perfect 7 for me which I would have chosen over a 6 anyway if one were readily available.

I think its great that Orvis is making fine modern glass in these higher line weights as opposed to just 2-3wts and a 4 no one likes, or just the usual 370, 476, 580 stuff.

The 8wt likes every 8+ line i’ve tried on it so far. I suspect a true 9 would be just right for me. Eventually I will try one.


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